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I ve trusted.
Trini stared out over the rosebushes for several minutes. And if we don t
take Jerin, Kij gets him?
Most likely.
I wouldn t give a dog to the Porters, Trini growled.
Was it too soon to ask for her support? Ren hesitated, afraid that Trini might
construe the next question as her being bullied into a decision. But it made
no sense to avoid the issue after pushing it to a head.
Can I tell Mother Elder that you support a marriage to Jerin?
Several minutes passed, and then, quietly, Trini murmured, Yes.
Ren went to her Mother Elder. The Porters have offered for Jerin. Let me make
an offer too.
Have you spoken with your sisters about this? Mother Elder asked quietly.
Odelia and Lylia are eager for the marriage. Trini has agreed.
And Halley?
Ren bit down on a bolt of anger. She mustn t lose her temper. There hasn t
been any word from
Halley. Mother. I am beginning to doubt she is alive; I would have expected
her to surface when the
Herald reported the attack on Odelia. In that light, I do not think it s
reasonable to wait for her. We have a majority.
With another man. a brother of a well-established noble house, I would agree
with you. While Jerin is a charming man, there will be many objections to him
fathering the next generation of rulers. We are the daughters of the Holy
Mothers, unsullied by common blood for twenty generations.
All the noble houses were commoners at one time, from the Keepers on down.
With the exception of the Porters, the nobles have all taken royal princes as
husbands.
If the Porters were acceptable, why not the Whistlers? They at least married
a royal prince. In fact, in many ways, they are more noble than all the noble
houses, since their royal blood has been less diluted by successive
generations.
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Truly, Ren, how can you compare the Porters, landowners for twenty
generations, to thieves fathered out of cribs?
Landowners? The Porters were not much more than river pirates cutting the
throats of those who failed to pay for portage around the falls. They claimed
to be neutral during the War of the False Eldest, but everyone knew they
played both sides, and yet we married them.
This is not about the Porters; it s about the Whistlers.
Ren realized that her mother was going to hold to her impossible demand. If
you hadn t planned on giving your permission all along, why did you allow me
to hope? You ve made losing him all the more bitter now.
Her mother shook her head. I told you that you shouldn t engage your heart.
Ren stood, feeling hollow, betrayed.
Her mother reached out and took her hand. Ren, I was willing to allow the
marriage if Halley agreed to it. In such an unequal marriage, you re asking
your sisters to take a huge risk, a risk a normal marriage wouldn t entail. If
you wished to marry the brother of a noble family, a majority would be enough.
This isn t the case. You must all be willing to take Jerin as husband.
Halley is dead! Ren snapped. Dead! She went out and got herself quietly
killed!
Her mother slapped her hard. Shut your mouth! Until her body is buried in the
family crypt, she is alive!
The answer is no. You cannot marry without Halley s agreement. That was the
case from the very start.
Do not whine, child. It does not become you.
I am not whining. I believe your grief has made you unreasonable. Even if
Halley is alive, she s passed all responsibilities of her duties to us. her
sisters. Choosing a husband is just one more duty she s neglecting. We " have
not stopped the courts. We have not stopped the balls. We will not stop
choosing a husband.
You will! I am still the Queen Mother Elder. You are my subject. I say you
will not marry Jerin Whistler without your sister s approval. Push me any
further Ren, and I will refuse the marriage totally.
Ren clenched her teeth together, balling her hands into fists, trying to keep
her anger in. Her mother meant it. It had been years since she d heard such a
decree, since she had lost favorite toys and been barred from outings as a
child with such rulings.
I m sorry you ve set your heart on this boy, her mother said in a softer
tone. But our line can ill afford discord between husband and wife again.
Trini tried to block the marriage to Keifer, and no one listened.
This time, we will listen to everyone.
Eldest Moorland cracked the door to Ren s study and peered in. Have you seen
Cullen?
Ren waved her in. He s usually either with Lylia or Jerin.
Ren s cousin sat, shaking her head and sighing. The younger Whistlers are in
the billiard room with Lylia and Odelia. Eldest Whistler is apparently trying
to track me down, so I assume it s safe to say that he s not with her.
An unmarried Eldest sister looking for the Eldest sister of a marriageable
man it wasn t difficult to guess what Whistler wanted. What are you going to
say?
Moorland sighed again. Are you going to offer for Jerin? It makes a
difference for us.
In other words, would the Whistlers continue to be poor landed gentry or would
they be sisters-in-law to the princesses? Commoners might sell their brothers
to the highest monetary bidder, but noble brothers went to the most powerful
political tie.
Ren sighed. She owed it to her cousin to be truthful on the matter. In sketchy
details, she told Moorland where negotiations stood. Not a word of this,
though, should leave this room. I don t want to raise
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Jerin s hopes, only to disappoint him. If he has to marry someone else, I
would rather he be ignorant that we love him.
So that s the way the wind blows? Well, yes, let him start with his wives
with a clean slate, so to speak.
Ren flinched at the idea of another family being Jerin s wives. A knock at the
door saved her from having to reply. Yes?
Eldest Whistler opened the door and stood in the doorway. Eldest Moorland, I
would like to speak with you.
Moorland made a gesture to indicate that now was as good a time as any. It
would spare me having to repeat it all to my cousin anyhow.
We wish to marry Cullen.
There was a shout from behind the heavy drapes and Cullen tumbled out from his
velvet hiding spot. He gave another whoop of delight and flung himself into
Eldest Whistler s arms. Whistler shook her head, smiling indulgently, and was
soundly kissed. Ren had never thought of Cullen as a sexual creature in that
moment of frank passion, she realized he was as mature in that matter as
Jerin. Her heart went out to
Eldest Whistler and Cullen.
Cullen! Moorland growled. We haven t accepted. We haven t even heard
terms.
I want to marry them! Things will work out for Ren. I know they will. It s
not like any of those other fusspots would ever offer for me, anyhow. They
want a biddable, beautiful man.
You are beautiful. Whistler didn t address biddable, but Ren had no doubt
that Eldest Whistler could keep
Cullen in line. But Moorland is right. We need to discuss terms. We re not
nobles with deep pockets.
We might not be able to afford your brother s price.
Cullen clung to Whistler, throwing his sister a tragic, pleading look. I want
to marry them. They would be good to me; I ve seen them with Jerin. They have
little brothers; I d have other men around. They would teach me how to ri
Cullen broke off at the word ride before it escaped completely, and changed
it to write and read.
We can only afford two thousand crowns for the scamp, Eldest Whistler said.
Payable on Jerin s betrothal. We might be able to work up more, but we ll
have to take futures out on our little brothers. It would take time to raise
more money.
Moorland looked from Cullen to Eldest Whistler and then to Ren. The woman who
loved her brother warred with the woman responsible for her family s best
interests. Ren could offer nothing, and waited, sure that Cullen would lose
out. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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I ve trusted.
Trini stared out over the rosebushes for several minutes. And if we don t
take Jerin, Kij gets him?
Most likely.
I wouldn t give a dog to the Porters, Trini growled.
Was it too soon to ask for her support? Ren hesitated, afraid that Trini might
construe the next question as her being bullied into a decision. But it made
no sense to avoid the issue after pushing it to a head.
Can I tell Mother Elder that you support a marriage to Jerin?
Several minutes passed, and then, quietly, Trini murmured, Yes.
Ren went to her Mother Elder. The Porters have offered for Jerin. Let me make
an offer too.
Have you spoken with your sisters about this? Mother Elder asked quietly.
Odelia and Lylia are eager for the marriage. Trini has agreed.
And Halley?
Ren bit down on a bolt of anger. She mustn t lose her temper. There hasn t
been any word from
Halley. Mother. I am beginning to doubt she is alive; I would have expected
her to surface when the
Herald reported the attack on Odelia. In that light, I do not think it s
reasonable to wait for her. We have a majority.
With another man. a brother of a well-established noble house, I would agree
with you. While Jerin is a charming man, there will be many objections to him
fathering the next generation of rulers. We are the daughters of the Holy
Mothers, unsullied by common blood for twenty generations.
All the noble houses were commoners at one time, from the Keepers on down.
With the exception of the Porters, the nobles have all taken royal princes as
husbands.
If the Porters were acceptable, why not the Whistlers? They at least married
a royal prince. In fact, in many ways, they are more noble than all the noble
houses, since their royal blood has been less diluted by successive
generations.
Page 107
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Truly, Ren, how can you compare the Porters, landowners for twenty
generations, to thieves fathered out of cribs?
Landowners? The Porters were not much more than river pirates cutting the
throats of those who failed to pay for portage around the falls. They claimed
to be neutral during the War of the False Eldest, but everyone knew they
played both sides, and yet we married them.
This is not about the Porters; it s about the Whistlers.
Ren realized that her mother was going to hold to her impossible demand. If
you hadn t planned on giving your permission all along, why did you allow me
to hope? You ve made losing him all the more bitter now.
Her mother shook her head. I told you that you shouldn t engage your heart.
Ren stood, feeling hollow, betrayed.
Her mother reached out and took her hand. Ren, I was willing to allow the
marriage if Halley agreed to it. In such an unequal marriage, you re asking
your sisters to take a huge risk, a risk a normal marriage wouldn t entail. If
you wished to marry the brother of a noble family, a majority would be enough.
This isn t the case. You must all be willing to take Jerin as husband.
Halley is dead! Ren snapped. Dead! She went out and got herself quietly
killed!
Her mother slapped her hard. Shut your mouth! Until her body is buried in the
family crypt, she is alive!
The answer is no. You cannot marry without Halley s agreement. That was the
case from the very start.
Do not whine, child. It does not become you.
I am not whining. I believe your grief has made you unreasonable. Even if
Halley is alive, she s passed all responsibilities of her duties to us. her
sisters. Choosing a husband is just one more duty she s neglecting. We " have
not stopped the courts. We have not stopped the balls. We will not stop
choosing a husband.
You will! I am still the Queen Mother Elder. You are my subject. I say you
will not marry Jerin Whistler without your sister s approval. Push me any
further Ren, and I will refuse the marriage totally.
Ren clenched her teeth together, balling her hands into fists, trying to keep
her anger in. Her mother meant it. It had been years since she d heard such a
decree, since she had lost favorite toys and been barred from outings as a
child with such rulings.
I m sorry you ve set your heart on this boy, her mother said in a softer
tone. But our line can ill afford discord between husband and wife again.
Trini tried to block the marriage to Keifer, and no one listened.
This time, we will listen to everyone.
Eldest Moorland cracked the door to Ren s study and peered in. Have you seen
Cullen?
Ren waved her in. He s usually either with Lylia or Jerin.
Ren s cousin sat, shaking her head and sighing. The younger Whistlers are in
the billiard room with Lylia and Odelia. Eldest Whistler is apparently trying
to track me down, so I assume it s safe to say that he s not with her.
An unmarried Eldest sister looking for the Eldest sister of a marriageable
man it wasn t difficult to guess what Whistler wanted. What are you going to
say?
Moorland sighed again. Are you going to offer for Jerin? It makes a
difference for us.
In other words, would the Whistlers continue to be poor landed gentry or would
they be sisters-in-law to the princesses? Commoners might sell their brothers
to the highest monetary bidder, but noble brothers went to the most powerful
political tie.
Ren sighed. She owed it to her cousin to be truthful on the matter. In sketchy
details, she told Moorland where negotiations stood. Not a word of this,
though, should leave this room. I don t want to raise
Page 108
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Jerin s hopes, only to disappoint him. If he has to marry someone else, I
would rather he be ignorant that we love him.
So that s the way the wind blows? Well, yes, let him start with his wives
with a clean slate, so to speak.
Ren flinched at the idea of another family being Jerin s wives. A knock at the
door saved her from having to reply. Yes?
Eldest Whistler opened the door and stood in the doorway. Eldest Moorland, I
would like to speak with you.
Moorland made a gesture to indicate that now was as good a time as any. It
would spare me having to repeat it all to my cousin anyhow.
We wish to marry Cullen.
There was a shout from behind the heavy drapes and Cullen tumbled out from his
velvet hiding spot. He gave another whoop of delight and flung himself into
Eldest Whistler s arms. Whistler shook her head, smiling indulgently, and was
soundly kissed. Ren had never thought of Cullen as a sexual creature in that
moment of frank passion, she realized he was as mature in that matter as
Jerin. Her heart went out to
Eldest Whistler and Cullen.
Cullen! Moorland growled. We haven t accepted. We haven t even heard
terms.
I want to marry them! Things will work out for Ren. I know they will. It s
not like any of those other fusspots would ever offer for me, anyhow. They
want a biddable, beautiful man.
You are beautiful. Whistler didn t address biddable, but Ren had no doubt
that Eldest Whistler could keep
Cullen in line. But Moorland is right. We need to discuss terms. We re not
nobles with deep pockets.
We might not be able to afford your brother s price.
Cullen clung to Whistler, throwing his sister a tragic, pleading look. I want
to marry them. They would be good to me; I ve seen them with Jerin. They have
little brothers; I d have other men around. They would teach me how to ri
Cullen broke off at the word ride before it escaped completely, and changed
it to write and read.
We can only afford two thousand crowns for the scamp, Eldest Whistler said.
Payable on Jerin s betrothal. We might be able to work up more, but we ll
have to take futures out on our little brothers. It would take time to raise
more money.
Moorland looked from Cullen to Eldest Whistler and then to Ren. The woman who
loved her brother warred with the woman responsible for her family s best
interests. Ren could offer nothing, and waited, sure that Cullen would lose
out. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]